Tax fraud cases hit Springfield’s federal court

Two men pleaded guilty to tax fraud schemes this week in Springfield federal court as part of two separate cases.

Behind bars
A Christian County Jail inmate pleaded guilty April 5 to conducting a fraudulent federal income tax return scheme while incarcerated.

John Sedersten, 40, admitted he led a conspiracy to defraud the IRS while awaiting sentencing at the Ozark jail on another federal conviction, according to a news release form the office of Tammy Dickinson, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

The guilty plea this week marks Sedersten’s fifth federal conviction. Past crimes include escaping from a halfway house, committing aggravated identity theft and producing counterfeit checks.

In his latest crime, Sedersten - while in jail - conspired with others to submit fraudulent tax returns. The co-conspirators, who were not identified in court documents and were not inmates of the Ozark jail, claimed to have received wages from JDS Enterprises, a company Sedersten registered, according to the release.

The scheme comprised nine false claims filed by eight individuals claiming a combined $373,372, government officials say.

Under federal statutes, Sedersten could receive to up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. For walking away from the halfway house, he was sentenced last month to five years in federal prison without parole, according to the release.

Craigslist fraud
Raheem McClain, 37, of Ozark, pleaded guilty yesterday to filing false income tax returns after advertising on Craigslist for dependents’ information.

In his guilty plea, McClain admitted to asking to purchase the identity information of children he could claim as dependents. The ad said he would pay $750 per dependent.

Between Jan. 28, 2012, and Feb. 4, 2016, McClain prepared and submitted false tax returns for himself and his girlfriend, who was not named in court documents, according to a release.

To bolster the fraudulent returns, McClain used personal information of dependents’ information he garnered from Craigslist, an online dating website and elsewhere, according to the release.

The total loss to Missouri and the federal government was $21,986.

McClain could receive up to three years in federal prison without parole.